Virtual Private Networking (VPN)

Virtual Private Networking (VPN), is an encrypted hardware or software implementation of a shared private connection across a network or the Internet for the cost of a local call.

VPN is a technology that allows computers to communicate over the Internet as if they were on a private, local network.

Normally, in order to connect to a private network from a remote access point using a telephone connection would require paying for either a national or international call, depending on the distance involved. But if you have computers using Windows, Linux or Unix at both ends, it is possible to set up a VPN that is either software or hardware driven, and which can be used for the cost of local Internet calls.

A VPN router is used to implement a hardware connection. Instead of a software VPN adapter, the router handles the VPN packet transmission of encrypted data. If Windows, Linux or Unix is used to set up a software VPN, this is achieved by installing a Virtual Private Networking Adapter. Windows installs this in the Device Manager under the Network adapters heading.

How to Set up a VPN Connection in Windows 10 –

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/faq/id-2569630/set-vpn-connection-windows.html

Windows Virtual Private Networking only allows one connection at a time per network interface card (NIC). You can set up the same number of connections as the client computer has network cards.

If multiple connections are required, a router can be set up as a hardware VPN server. An example of a VPN-capable router that allows up to sixteen connections at once is the Draytec Vigor 2600VG, which is a router and ADSL modem. For more information on it, enter the make and model in a search engine. Alternatively, use a web-search query such as vpn router.

The VPN communication can take place between single computers at both ends, a single computer and a network, or between two networks.

Both ends of the VPN have to have a fixed IP address, otherwise it won’t be possible to establish a connection, since the software or hardware involved has to forward and receive encrypted packets of information to known addresses. Most ISPs provide a dynamic IP address for an Internet connection, which means that you are allocated a different IP address from a pool of available IP addresses every time you log on. Most of them provide a static IP address as a paid-for optional extra. Some ISPs, such as Demon, allocate each user a fixed IP address, so if you want to communicate via VPN, you would have to sign up with an Internet Service Provider that provides a static IP address.

For more information on this subject, visit the following website –

How Virtual Private Networking Works – http://computer.howstuffworks.com/vpn.htm

DD-WRT router firmware is discussed on the following page of this website:

https://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/hardware/wired-and-wireless-networking/13/

The best VPNs for DD-WRT routers and how to set up OpenVPN on DD-WRT –

https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/best-vpn-dd-wrt-router/

To find other articles, enter virtual private networking in a search engine.

Medium and large companies are using VPN software to enable secure connections over the Internet for remote or mobile users. Small businesses and even some home users are using VPN software to establish secure peer-to-peer connections across routers and firewalls. Here is a provider of third-party VPN software:

Hamachi – https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/

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